Cavan Calling: Tony and I recently stayed with our friends Susan and William Robinson in Kildare, and one morning I needed to go up to Dublin. So I took the train from Newbridge into Heuston. It was the first time I had travelled by train in Ireland.

Dublin and its environs appear to be well served by trains, but I have yet to locate a station near to where we live in west Cavan. I felt quite at home waiting at Newbridge as the train was delayed by a quarter of an hour.

This would be fairly standard in Britain, where the many imaginative excuses I have heard for lateness includes the wrong kind of leaf on the track or a cow on the line. Despite this, I love travelling on trains. I particularly enjoy the experience on the continent.

A couple of years ago, I was travelling in eastern Europe. I spent a few days in Krakow in Poland and I then took a train to Vienna to meet a friend. I was travelling alone and I managed to find an empty compartment. I settled myself down with a book for what was a long journey, but I was soon joined by an extended Polish family. Much smiling and nodding ensued as it quickly became clear verbal communication would not be easy.

Eventually, after much encouragement from his father, one of the children, a young boy of about 12, managed to ask me where I was from. I replied, "Manchester". The father became very excited and said in a heavily-accented English, "Manchester United. Alex Ferguson. David Beckham. Yes?"

I nodded assent and immediately the huge picnic the family had brought with them was unpacked and I was invited to join in. I was pleasantly surprised to discover just how important Manchester United is to Anglo-Polish relations.

That was certainly one occasion when my allegiance to Manchester United was a definite bonus. However, at other times it can be slightly more problematic.

For instance, when I telephoned technical support at eircom.net. When I was setting up the web service on my computer, the man who was talking me through the process asked me to think of a password. Of course, my mind went blank immediately. Trying to be helpful, he asked me which football team I supported. When I answered,

he was pretty scathing, arguing that lots of people are United

supporters and they do not even live in the city.

I felt it was important to justify my position, pointing out that I was actually born and brought up in the south side of that city and therefore it was perfectly natural and acceptable for me to be a fan. He agreed I was allowed, but I picked up a sub-text to our conversation. Maybe it was female intuition, but I realised he was a Liverpool fan.

I knew (because Tony is a Liverpool supporter) that, at that point last year, they were all in a state of terminal depression. It turned out my assumption was right and so, out of sympathy I thought of another password.

I have found eircom.net technical support staff really good. They are helpful and friendly, giving you their name so you can call right back if further help is needed. What a

shame Eircom does not follow their example. In fact, Eircom would win my prize for the most expensive, unhelpful and confrontational organisation I have encountered in Ireland!

Despite being a Manchester United supporter, I have to confess I much prefer to watch rugby. Would someone please tell me why it is so difficult to get tickets for matches at Lansdowne Road? I have

been trying, with increasing desperation, to buy tickets for the Six Nations match between Ireland and France.

Everyone I have spoken to tells me it is almost impossible, but someone somewhere must know how Tony and I can obtain tickets. I would be eternally grateful for any help or advice. My son Sam is

convinced Ireland stand a good chance of winning the championship this year.

Finally, I must correct an error I made when I wrote about the Cavan Literary Festival. I mistakenly bestowed the title of Arts Organiser on to Elaine Lennon. Elaine is, in fact Writer in Residence. Catriona O'Reilly is the Arts Officer for Cavan County Council. Apologies.